Written by: Laila Wang, FCSN Voices Youth Reporter
Graphics by: Helen Peng, FCSN Voices Graphic Artist

On October 19th, Ardenwood Farm opened its doors to FCSN families once again for their annual Halloween celebration. Kids and parents enjoyed a variety of activities that were set up across the farm, celebrating a memorable and festive Halloween. 

Hosted by Ardenwood Farm, the FCSN Halloween event recently returned for its 3rd year. In preparation for the event, Ardenwood Farm planned out exciting attractions for kids, such as the haunted train ride, pumpkin patch, and Dream Achievers concert. Meanwhile, FCSN coordinators reached out to families interested in attending. The event was a private event limited to 220 individual guests, and families had to RSVP quickly in order to secure a spot. Guests who signed up after all the spots had been filled were placed on a waitlist. This year, over 60 families signed up with some guests even assigned to the waiting list, again testifying to the event’s popularity. At the event, FCSN volunteers enjoyed helping out with the festivities and “[taking] photos to help capture good moments,” as explained by volunteer Penny S. Kelly Ko, an FCSN program director, elaborated on how FCSN aims to create a welcoming and open environment for special needs children; “it’s considered a gathering of the community…This is kind of a way for families to get together and have a good time for Halloween.” 

A popular attraction of the Halloween party was the haunted train ride which took its passengers into a forest filled with mysterious Halloween surprises. There, guests encountered several spooky inflatables and supernatural beings, such as a ghost, a haunted pumpkin, and even a vampire. Throughout the train ride, a kind narrator told stories of a man and his wife who never came back from the haunted forest, the story of the “ghost bride.” In fact, the passengers had the special chance to catch a glimpse of the ghost bride themselves as she walked back and forth across the train. 

Afterwards on the way back, the train was suddenly stopped by the witch of the forest, who eagerly invited the kids for dinner (“as her guests, of course!”). She cooked up an impressive stew in her cauldron for the passengers to see, using mice, a black mamba, a boot, and frogs, along with several other exotic ingredients. However, before any of the passengers could join her for dinner (“as her guests, of course!”), the train continued on its way back to the station. 

The Halloween event also featured a performance by the Dream Achievers Band, a group of musicians with special needs. The band is composed of Alice Jen, Lawrence Wang, and Gregory Herbert. While the Dream Achievers played their instruments and sang onstage, parents and kids alike danced to the music. 

In addition to the train ride and band performance, various activities were set up across the farm for the guests. One of these was the pumpkin patch station, where each kid got to decorate a small pumpkin to take home. The guests used various stickers to give their pumpkins lively features, such as shining eyes, a smiling face, and even sharp teeth. Kids also got to have fun at the animal corner, featuring Ardenwood farm’s sheep, bunnies, and goats. There, families cranked out animal feed from a dispenser and then hand fed the sheep. Lastly, before they left, kids also received a goody bag from the witch’s room, containing fun toys and gifts. 

Once again, the Ardenwood Farm Halloween event successfully hosted numerous FCSN families in a festive autumn celebration. The participants loved each attraction and activity, and spent a memorable Halloween together. Kelly Ko felt that the most valuable moment was “just the faces.. the happy faces of all the special needs individuals and the families.. that’s really worth a million dollars right there to see them happy because they don’t get a lot of opportunities to do something like this.” After all, she says, “here we are family … and we feel safe with this community.”